Josh Hartnett’s Bunraku Heats Up, New Cast

I haven’t heard much about “Bunraku”, starring Josh Hartnett as a drifter, since Hartnett talked about how cool it was going to be and possibly be bigger than sliced bread way back (here). The latest news about the movie, to be directed by some guy name Guy Moshe, is that Ron Perlman (pictured, left) has been cast as the film’s villain, a European drug lord, and the movie will have samurais. Yes, samurais. Also in the cast: Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, Kevin McKidd and Jordi Molla.

The Hollywood Reporter has more on the film and it’s “Sin City” inspiration:

The film is set in a hyperstylized universe a la “Sin City” and draws from a mixed bag of genres, including puppets, origami, comic books, video games and German expressionism. It follows a drifter (Hartnett) who teams with a samurai (Gackt) to take on an Eastern European gang lord, played by Perlman (”Hellboy”).

“I’ve always loved movies in the ‘no-name stranger coming to town and ending up in a bigger struggle (genre),’ ” Snoot’s Keith Calder said. “I think this is an opportunity to take this genre and spin it on its head and bring a unique and strong visual style to it.”

Fun times, man. Sounds like fun times indeed…